Tampon winding machine



Sept. 28, 1937. J. L. WEBB 2,094,086

TAMPON WINDING MACHINE Filed March 17, 1936 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 QWW Stun/h0g Sept. 28, 1937. J. WEBB I 2,094,086

TAMPON WINDING MACHINE Filed March 17, 1936 '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 28,1937 J. WEBB 2,094,086

TAMPON WINDING MACHiNE Filed March 17, 1936 '7 Sheets-Sheet 3 x I v H1 ii 5 v I u a Z l I f T W I E & 0

Sept. 28, 1937. J; 1.. WEBB TAMPON WINDING MACHINE Filed March 17, 1936 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 17, 1936 '7 Sheets-Sheet 6 J Z 1Z f. 1Z3

gin/amnion.

Jam 1,. W617 Ajlwfi Patented Sept. 28, 19:47

UNITED STATES TAMPON WINDING MACHINE John L.

Holly-Fax, ration of California Webb, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to 1110., Los Angeles, Calif., a corpo- Application March 17, 1936, Serial No. 69,297

12 Claims.

strip of cotton (or other fibrous material) and a continuous length of string into rolled or wound tampons, each having a short pull string anchored thereto.

Other more specific objects and features of the invention will become apparentfrom the detailed description which refers to the drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation view of the major part of a machine in accordance with the inven- 0 tion;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the machine taken along the line II-II of Fig. 1, this view including the lowermost elements which are omitted from Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side view of a portion of the machine taken along the line III-III of Fig. 1 and showing the machine in a more advanced phase of its cycle of operation;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary front view taken along the line IV--1V of Fig. 3 with the machine in the same position as in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan viewtaken in the position V-V of Fig. 4 with the machine in the same position as in Figs. 3 and 4;

Fig. 6 is an exploded detail view of the winding needles and needle bar;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary side view taken along the line VII-VII of Fig. 5 with the machine in a later phase of its cycle of operation;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary side view taken along the line VIII-VIII of Fig. 5 with the machine in a. still later phase of its cycle of operation;

Fig. 9 is a detail view illustrating the operation of the string releasing mechanism;

Fig. 10 is a detail view illustrating the operation of the string gripping and cutting mechanism;

Fig. 11 is a detail view of the string gripping mechanism looking down on it from the top (with reference to Fig. 9)

Fig. 12 is a detail view illustrating the cotton rolling operation;

Fig. 13 is a detail view illustrating the cotton rolling operation, theview being taken along the line XIIIXIII of Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 is a detail View taken along the line XIV-XIV of Fig. 1 showing the construction of the clutch mechanism; and

Fig. 15 is a detail view of a portion of the clutch mechanism taken along the line XV-XV of Fig. 14.

The invention will now be described by following the operation of the machine through a complete cycle, describing the elements of the machine in the order of their operation.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the machine therein illustratedfunctions to convert strip cotton batting I or the like from a continuous roll 3 and string l from a roll 5 into small cylindrical rolled tampons 6 each having a short length 1 of string anchored therein' and projecting from one end thereof. As shown in Fig. 1, one of these tampons 6 has been completed and deposited upon the conveyor belt 8 which removes it from the machine.

The roll 3 of strip cotton is suitably supported for rotation from a rigid frame 9 of the machine which may in turn be mounted upon a table or bench 10. The roll of string 5 may be mounted upon a suitable spindle it supported on a cross member 12 below the table top Ill. The member I2 may also support a pedal l3 which controls the operation of the machine through a connecting rod I l.

The strip l of cotton batting is continuously drawn from the roll 3 by a feed roll 16 driven at constant speed. An idler roller l'lserves to press the strip l in firm driven contact with the roll l6. Both rolls l6 and I! are mounted on shafts journalled 'on the frame of the machine and the shaft Hi to which the feeding roll I6 is keyed is continuously rotated by a pulley IS, in turn driven through a V belt 20 from a pulley 2| on a shaft 22 rotatably supported in stationary journals 23, 24 and 25 secured to the frame of the machine. The shaft 22 in turn is driven by a sprocket wheel 26 keyed thereto and driven through a chain 21 from a sprocket wheel 28 keyed to a shaft 29 rotatably mounted in stationary journals 30 and 3| secured to the frame of the machine.

Shaft 29 in turn is rotated by a bevel gear 32 mounted on one end thereof, which meshes with a bevel driving gear-33 keyed to a shaft 34 rotatably mounted in journals secured to the frame of the machine and having keyed thereto at its opposite end a drive sprocket 35 which is driven through a chain 36 from a sprocket wheel 31 which is loosely mounted for rotation on a shaft 38 (Fig. 14), the latter being rotatably mounted in journals 39 and 49 secured to the frame of the machine.

The shaft 38 has keyed thereto and is rotated by a worm wheel 4| which meshes with a worm 42 on one end of the shaft 43 of an electric motor 44. The sprocket wheel 31 comprises a hub clutch member 45 adapted to engage a second clutch member 46 pinned to the shaft 38 by a pin 41. The clutch members 45 and 46 are normally maintained out of engagement with each other by a helical thrust spring 48 positioned therebetween. To engage the clutch members the clutch member 45 and sprocket 31 are moved to the right (with reference to Fig. 14) against the force exerted by the spring 48 by a bifurcated wedge member 49 which is secured to the lower end of a guide rod 50 slidably supported for vertical movement in journals on the frame of the machine. The rod 50 extends beyond the upper journal 5| and terminates in a handle or knob 51a. The rod is normally maintained in uppermost position by a helical thrust spring 52 which is compressed between the upper face of the lower journal 5| and a collar 53 anchored to the rod 50. When the rod 50 and the wedge member 49 are in uppermost position, as shown in Figs. 14 and 15, the clutch member 45 is in the position shown, out of engagement with the driving clutch member 46. The clutch members are engaged by moving the wedge member 49 downwardly, thereby causing it to shift a cooperating wedge member 54 to the right. This wedge member 54 consists of a collar mounted upon the shaft 38 and bearing against the clutch member 45 so that downward movement of the wedge 49 shifts the member 54 and the hub 45 to the right into engagement with the clutch member 46. To actuate the wedge member 49 into lowermost position, it is secured by a hinge pin 55 to a yoke 56 attached to the upper end of the rod 4, the lower end of which is secured to the pedal I3. The rod 59 may also be actuated into lowermost position by pushing down on the knob 5| a attached to the upper end thereof. It will be apparent that the mechanism described functions to couple the feed roll |6 to the motor 44 and rotate the feed roll whenever the pedal l3 or the knob 5| a is depressed.

As the strip is continuously fed through the rolls I 1 and IE it falls upon the periphery of a cut-off drum 51 which is rotating in a counterclockwise direction (with reference to Fig. 2) so that the end of the strip hangs down over the front face of the rotating drum 51. The drum 51 is provided with flanges 58 (Fig. 1) to guide the strip of cotton and a guide rod or wire 59 is also provided in front of the drum 51 to insure that the cotton strip will lie closely adjacent the drum.

The drum 51 is mounted upon'and keyed to the shaft 22 which is driven by a chain 21 and rotates at such a speed that its peripheral velocity exceeds by a substantial amount the velocity with which the strip is fed by the feed rolls I6. The drum 51 is provided at one point on its periphery with a breaker pad 69 of resilient material which is so dimensioned as to press the strip firmly against an idler roll 6| mounted for free rotation upon a shaft 62 fixed to the frame of the machine.

At the beginning of a cycle of operation the drum 51 is in the position shown in Fig. 8, in which the breaker pad 60 is just past the idler roll 6|. Therefore, the strip feeds freely between the periphery of drum 51 and the idler roll 6| and follows down over the drum. However, when the drum 51 rotates in such a position as to bring the pad 60 again into contact with the idler roll 6| the strip is firmly compressed between pad 60 and roll 6| and carried under the roll 6| at a velocity substantially greater than the feeding velocity of the feed roller l6. As a result, the strip is torn apart immediately ahead of the idler roll 6|, as shown in Fig. 3, and the cut-off end of the strip I, as soon as it is released from the pad 60 by passage of the latter clear of the idler roll 6|, is free to drop into the \mnding machine to be described.

To support the cut-off strip of cotton in a desired position with respect to the winding mechanism, an arcuate spring member 63 may be secured to the periphery of drum 51, 'as shown in Fig. 3, this strip63 being bent away from the drum a suitable distance to place the cut-off strip of cotton where it is desired.

Obviously the length of the cut-off strip of cotton is dependent upon the peripheral speed of the feed roll |6 relative to the peripheral speed of the cut-off drum 51. The speed of drum 51 is not adjustable since it is rigidly attached to the shaft 22, driven by sprocket 26. However, the speed of the feed roll I6 is made adjustable by changing the effective diameters of the drive pulley 2| and the driven pulley l9. To this end, these pulleys are each composed of two conical members adjustable toward and away from each other to vary the effective diameters of the pulleys. This adjustment is made by means of the knurled members 64 on pulleys 9 and 20 but since adjustable pulleys of this type are old and well known the details of the mechanism need not be described herein.

At the time the strip of cotton is severed, the cut-off end of the strip is in the position shown in Fig. 3. Just prior to this position the machine was in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, in which the string 4 was being manipulated into position for insertion into the cotton roll to be formed. Thus in Fig. 2 it will be observed that the string 4 extends upwardly from the roll 5 through an aperture 65 in the table l0 and an aperture 66 in the frame 9, thence through a tensioning device 61 which supplies a predetermined constant frictional drag thereto, then between a pair of guide. pins 68 on the frame of the machine to a lever 69 having a gripping mechanism on the end thereof which grips the end of the string. This gripping mechanism, as disclosed in Fig. 11, comprises a rotatable shaft having a segment cut away on one side to leave a recess 1|. The shaft 10 is positioned adjacent a stationary shoulder 12 on the arm 69 and when in the position shown in Fig. 11 grips or clamps the string against the shoulder 12, the shaft 10 being-retained in this position by friction.

The lever 69 is anchored at its inner end to a shaft 13 which is mounted in journals 14 (Fig. 4) in the frame of the machine and is constantly urged in a counterclockwise direction (the direction being taken with reference to Fig. 2) by a helical spring anchored at one end of the frame of the machine and anchored at the other end to collar 16 on shaft 13. To rotate the shaft 13 against the tension of the spring 15 a chain 11 is secured at one end to a drum 18 keyed to the shaft 13. This chain 11 extends down below the shaft 13 and has its lower end fastened on the outer end of a lever 19, the opposite end of which lever is fulcrumed to the frame of the machine by means of a bearing 88. The lever I9 is provided intermediate its ends with a roller 8| bearing against a cam 82 keyed to the shaft 29 previously described, this shaft 29 rotating constantly in a counterclockwise direction (with reference to Fig. 3) when the machine isv in operation. The tension of the spring I5 (Fig. 4) maintains the chain II taut and holds the roller 8i against the cam 82.

When the apparatus is in the position shown in Fig. 2, the cam 82 is gradually forcing the roller Ill and lever I9 downward, thereby rotating the lever 69 in a clockwise direction, as shown in Fig. 2, the movement continuing until the arm 69 has been moved into the position shown in Fig. 3, at which time the roller 8i rests upon a substantially concentric portion 83 of the cam 82, thereby retaining the lever 69 in that position for a short interval of time. With lever 69 in the position shown in Fig. 3, the string 8 is stretched from the guide pins 68 substantially horizontally across a pair of supporting shoulders 84 and 85, which shoulders have pins 86 thereon for preventing escape of the string laterally in one direction and pulleys 81 for limiting movement of the string laterally in the opposite direction. This positions the string to be threaded upon the needles next to be described.

Positioned parallel to and slightly above the shaft I3 (Fig. ,4) is a shaft 88 hereinafter referred to as the needle shaft. This shaft 88 is supported for longitudinal and rotary movement in a bushing 89 and a journal 98 in the frame 9. The bushing 89 is integral with a pulley 9I and in turn rotates in a journal 92 in the frame 9. The bushing 89 is flanged as shown at 93, which flange is engaged by a retaining plate 94 anchored to the frame of the machine. Longitudinal movement of the shaft 88 is controlled by a lever 95, the upper end of which is slotted and engages a collar 96 mounted for rotation on a clutch member 91 which is anchored to the shaft 88. When the clutch member 91 is moved into the extreme left position, it engages with the face of the pulley 9!, thereby causing the shaft 88 to be r0- tated with the pulley 9I, through a belt 98 from a pulley 99 (Fig. 1) on the right end of the shaft 43 of the driving motor 44. Since the pulley 9| is directly belted to the motor shaft, it rotates at relatively high speed. To prevent any possible rotation of the shaft 88 through frictional drag between the shaft and the bushing 89 when the shaft is in the position shown in Fig. 1, shaft 88 is provided with a pin I88 which engages against a stop member I8I anchored to the frame of the machine by a bolt I82 (Fig. 4).

The left end of the needle shaft 88 is provided with a pair of parallel spaced apart needles I83 (Fig. 5). Each needle is bent slightly at the rear end, as shown at I88, to fit into a guide hole I85 in the needle bar 88 and the opposite or outer end of each needle is bifurcated, as indicated at I86, to receive the string 8. Both needles I83 fit into channels I81 provided on opposite sides of the bar 88 and are normally retained in position by a spring collar I88 which is slidable along the shaft. The construction described for retaining the needles I83 on the shaft I88 is highly desirable since it permits very rapid change of needles in case of breakage.

The bar 88 is so positioned relative to the string supporting shoulders 84 and 85 as to align the bifurcated ends of the needles I 83 with the string stretched across the shoulders 84 and by the operations previously described. Furthermore,

from the beginning of the cycle of operation up to the phase of operations represented in Fig. 3, the needle bar 88 is retracted intothe position shown in Fig. 1, this movement being effected by a cam I89 (Fig. 4) bearing against a roller H8 on the lever 95. The cam I89 is mounted on the shaft 34 previously described, which rotates continuously in a counterclockwise direction while the machine is in operation.

Thus during the phase of operation illustrated in Fig. 1 the cam I89 is so positioned as to oppose the innermost concentric portion of its face to the roller II8. In this position the pin I88 in shaft 88 lies against the guide IN and retains shaft 88 in such position as to maintain the needles I83 in such a plane as to intercept the string 4 stretched across the shoulders 84 and 85. Immediately following movementof the lever. 69 into the position shown in Fig. 3, the cam I89 (Fig. 4) begins to move the lever and the needle shaft 88 to the left, causing the needles I83 to intercept the string at points between the pulleys 81 and stretch the string out between the pulleys into, the position shown in Fig. 5. During this operation the additional string necessary is fed to the needles. over a pulley 81 on shoulder 84 by the tensioning device 61. At this stage of operation the apparatus is in the position shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. It will be observed that the roller I I8 is on a portion of the cam I89 of intermediate height, in which position the pin I88 is still resting against the guide IM and restraining the shaft 88 from rotation. Also the lever 95 has not moved sufliciently to engage the clutch 91 against the face of the driving pulley 9|. While that portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 4 is in the position therein depicted, two operations occur very rapidly. One operation consists of the threading of the end of the piece of cotton cut oil" as previously described by the cut-off ,drum 51 into the loop of string supported by the needles I83 and the other operation is the releasing of the free end of the string and the severing of the string adjacent the guide pins 68.

As shown in Fig. 3, the lower end of the cut off piece of strip cotton has fallen to approximately the level of the needles but is positioned a slight distance rearwardly of the needles. In the next operation the cotton strip is doubled a short distance from its lower end and the doubled or folded portion tucked between the needles by the tucker element III which may consist of a piece of strip metal folded to constitute a straight or radial portion H2 and a curved portion II3 which is concentric with respect to the inner end of the radial portion H2. The inner end of the radial portion H2 is rigidly attached to a shaft I I4 which is supported in journals I I5 at its opposite ends for rotation and is normally maintained in the retracted position shown in Fig. 3 by a helical spring II6. To actuate the tucker I II the shaft I I4 has attached thereto a short lever arm or crank arm 1, the outer end of which is attached by a pair of chain links II8 (Fig. '7) and a connecting rod II 9 to the forward end of a bellcrank lever I28 which is fulcrumed to the frame on a shaft I2I and has an arm I22 provided with a face I23 adapted to be intercepted by a roller I24 mounted on a crank pin I25 on a disc I26 secured to the shaft 29,.which has been previously described in connection with the cam 82, also mounted upon that shaft.

The roller I24 is so oriented on disc I26 with respect to the cam 82 on the same shaft that while the roller 8| (Fig. 3) is on the concentric portion 83 of cam 29 the roller I24 intercepts the face I23 on the lever arm I22 and very rapidly oscillates the bellcrank lever I20 from the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 7 into the position shown in full lines. This very quickly kicks the tucker I II into the position shown in full lines in Fig. 7, which operation doubles the cotton strip and inserts it between the threaded needles, as clearly shown in Fig. 7. However, the tucker III has no sooner been forced into the full line of position shown in Fig. 7 than the roller I24 moves out of engagement with the face I23, thereby permitting the spring II6 (Fig. 4) to snap the tucker III back into the retracted position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 7, leaving the cotton strip tucked between the needles.

By the time the foregoing operation has been completed, the roller 8| (Fig. 3) has reached the end of the concentric portion 83 on the cam 82 and further movement of the cam depresses the roller 8I and the lever 19 a slight additional distance, carrying the lever 69 into a still lower position in which a stationary wedge member I21 mounted on the frame of the machine intercepts a pin I28 extending from the shaft I0 as shown in Fig. 9, and rotates the shaft I0 into the dotted position shown in Fig. 11, in which position the string which was previously clamped between the shaft I0 and the shoulder I2 is released. This detaches the string from the end of the lever arm 69. An instant later, as a result of the continued rotation of shaft 29, the roller 3| drops off the high part of cam 82, permitting the rapid retraction of the lever arm 69 by the spring I5.

The force of the spring 15 rotates the arm 69 very quickly into the position shown in Fig. 8, in which position that portion of the string still stretched between the pulley 81 on shoulder 84 and the pin 68 passes between the shoulder 12 and the shaft I0 on lever 69. At the same time the pin I28 encounters an inclined face I29 which shifts the shaft I0 into the position shown in full lines in Fig. 11:, in which it grips the string firmly against the shoulder I2 substantially at the same time that the string at a point rearwardly of the clamping shoulder I2 is intercepted by a stationary knife I30 secured to the frame of the machine which severs the string and allows the end to fall free, as shown in Fig. 8.

Immediately following the completion of the operation just described, continued movement of the shaft 34 (Fig. 4) carries the high part of cam I09 under the roller IIO, shifting the lever 95 into its extreme position in which the clutch member 91 bears against the face of the driving pulley 9I. This movement simultaneously carries the shaft 88 to the left sufficiently to move the pin-I00 beyond the end of the stop bar IOI, whereupon the needle bar 88 is rapidly rotated, thereby rotating the needles I03 on the end thereof and winding up the piece of cotton strip into a. roll, as shown in Fig. 12.

To shape the roll, a forming spool or drum I3I is rotatably mounted a suitable distance in front of the needles I03. Thus the forming drum I3I may be conveniently mounted upon a shaft I32 supported on a lever I33 which is fulcrumed to the frame of the machine on a bearing I34 and is provided with a bell crank extension I35 adapted to be received in a groove I36 in a. nut I31 screwed upon a threaded post I38 anchored to the frame of the machine. By adjusting the nut I31 up or down the-distance of the forming drum I3I from the axis of rotation of the needles I03 may be varied according to thedimensions of the roll it is desired to form. During the rotation of the needle bar and needles the loose ends of the string which are imbedded in the roll trail around the needle bar, as shown in Fig. 13.

The winding action described continues until the constant rotation of the cam I09 (Fig. 4) releases the roller H0, thereby permitting retraction of the lever 95 into the position shown in Fig. 1 by a helical spring I39 (Fig. 2) mounted upon a shaft I40 which acts as the fulcrum for the lever 95. As the. needle bar and needles are retracted, the newly formed cotton roll or tampon is pulled off the needles by a stationary plate HI having a central aperture through which the needles and the end of the needle bar extend. Thereupon, the tampon drops onto the conveyor belt 8 and is removed as shown in Fig. 1. Slightly before completion of the foregoing operation, the cam 82 begins to shift the lever 19 to carry the threading lever 69 into the position shown in Fig. 2, ready to begin a new cycle of operation.

It will be observed from the foregoing description that the machine functions continuously to manufacture tampons as long as the control pedal I3 or knob 5Ia is depressed and the machine is supplied with string and cotton strip, thereby making possible quantity production of such tampons at relatively low cost. Furthermore, the tampons produced are very uniform in size and shape and the pull strings I are firmly anchored therein so that they cannot be pulled loose.

The density of the tampons formed may be varied either by employing cotton strip of greater thickness or by increasing the length of the pieces of strip fed to the needles. The method of varying the length of the strip has been pre viously described and consists merely in varying the speed of the feed rollers I6 and I! by adjusting the variable diameter pulleys I9 and 2 I.

Although the invention has been described specifically as applied to a machine for forming tampons having strings imbedded therein, various features of the machine are applicable to other uses and the scope of the invention is therefore to be limited only as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a machine of the type described, feeding means for delivering a strip of material into a predetermined position, a pair of spaced apart winding needles, means for positioning said needles adjacent one end of a strip in said predetermined position, means for entering an intermediate portion of said strip between said needles, means for revolving said needles to wind the remainder of the strip thereabout, means for pulling the wound strip off the needles, and means for actuating said feeding means, strip-entering means, needle revolving means, and strip-pulling means in timed relation.

2. Apparatus as described in claim 1, including a forming member positioned adjacent said winding needles in fixed position with respect to the axis of revolution of the needles for contacting and shaping the outer surface of the wound strip on said needles.

3. Apparatus as described in claim 1, including means for threading a loop of string along said needles and across the ends thereof prior to actuation of said strip-entering means.

4. In a machine of the type described, a needle shaft, a pair of spaced apart parallel winding needles secured to one end of said needle shaft and having notched outer ends, means for shifting said shaft longitudinally to advance and retract said needles, means for rotating said shaft to revolve said needles when inadvanced position, means for delivering a length of string across the paths of said needles while the latter are in retracted position whereby advance of the. needles loops the string, across the notched ends of the needles and rearwardly alongside the needles, means for delivering a strip of material into position adjacent the advanced position of said needles and entering a portion of said strip between said needles and the string loop thereover, means for actuating said string delivering means, shaft shifting means, shaft rotating means and strip delivering means in timed relation to loop the string on the needles, advance the needles, insert a portion of the strip between the needles and string looped thereover, wind the strip about the needles and string and retract the needles, and means for limiting longitudinal movement of a wound strip on the needles whereby retraction of the needles pulls them out of the wound strip and releases the latter.

5. Apparatus as described in claim 4, in which the needle bar is longitudinally grooved to receive the needles with a collar slidable along the shaft over the grooves for retaining the needles in the grooves, the needles being provided with projections and the grooves being provided with recesses to receive the projections on the needles whereby relative longitudinal movement between the needles and shaft is prevented.

6. Apparatus as described in claim 4, in which the means for rotating said shaft comprises a constantly rotating driving member, and a cooperating driven member on said shaft so positioned relative to each other that longitudinal movement of the shaft into full advanced position interengages said driving and driven members.

7. Apparatus as described in claim 4, with means for rotating said needle shaft into a predetermined position of orientation with respect to said string and strip positioning means in response to movement of said shaft into retracted position.

8. In a machine of the type described, a reciprocable needle mechanism including a needle having a notched end adapted to pick up a loop of string in retracted position and carry the loop into advanced position, in combination with means for delivering string to said needle mechanism comprising means for supplying string to a point positioned on one side of said needle mechanism, a string carrying member movable between a first position adjacent said string supplying means and a second position on the opposite side of said needle mechanism, string gripping means on said member movable into closed and open positions, means for successively moving said string carrying member from said first position to said second position and from said second position to said first position in timed relation to the movements of said needle mechanism, means responsive to movement of said member into said first position'for actuating said string gripping means into closed position to seize said string, means responsive to movement of said member into said second position for opening said gripping means to release the string, and means responsive to return movement of said 'member into said first position to cut the string adjacent said gripping means on the side thereof away from said string supplying means.

9. Apparatus as described in claim 8, in which the means for actuating said string-gripping means comprises a latch thereon movable in one direction to close the gripping means and movable in the opposite direction to open the gripping means, in combination with stationary actuating means for engaging and shifting the latch in said one direction when said string carrying member is moved into its first position, and other stationary actuating means for engaging and shifting the latch in said opposite direction when said string carrying member is moved into its second position.

10. Apparatus as described in claim 4, in which said means for delivering said strip and entering a portion thereof between said needles comprises a feeding mechanism for feeding a strip into position adjacent said needles, and a tucker mechanism for intercepting and folding said strip at a point spaced from one end of the strip and tucking the folded portion of the strip between said needles.

11. In a machine of the type described, feeding means for delivering a strip of material into a predetermined position, a pair of spaced-apart winding needles, means for positioning said needles alongside a strip in said predetermined position, a tucker movable against a strip in said predetermined position for tucking a portion of the strip between said needles, means for revolving said needles to wind the remainder of the strip thereabout, means for pulling the wound strip off the needles, andmeans for actuating said feeding means, strip entering means, needle revolving means and strip pulling means in timed relation.

12. In a machine of the type described, a pair of spaced-apart winding needles movable longitudinally between an advanced and retracted position, feeding means for delivering a strip of material to said needles when the latter are in advanced position, means for revolving said needles to wind the strip thereabout, a stationary stop member positioned adjacent the base ends of said winding needles when the latter are in advanced position, means for retracting said needles from advance toretracted position to dislodge a strip wound thereon, means for advancing said needle from retracted to advanced position, and means for actuating said feeding means, needle revolving means, needle advancing and needle retracting means in timed relation.

JOHN L. WEBB. 

